White Coat Ceremony

[scrub-jay]

I just returned from my husband's White Coat Ceremony and it was very exciting to see him so ecstatic and excited. When we were driving away, I asked him if anything felt different now and he said "Well, I feel a bit, well, 'WEEEEEEE'..." I told him to hold onto that feeling as long as he can! But I am putting this down here to remind everyone the excitement that only the beginning (and maybe the end!) can offer. I'm sure I'll look back at this post in a few years and think "oh, yea...he loved this and I loved seeing him so happy."

Thanks everyone for sharing this path with me. I have been supportive, but the role of medical spouse is understated and doesn't have the inherent camaraderie that med students receive. I feel truly blessed to have found this family.

[Pollyanna]

Glad you both enjoyed. They suck the WEEEE out of you fast...and pretty much for good.

[DCJenn]

Enjoy the moment.

the next greatest moment is "I swear by Apollo Physician and Asclepius and Hygieia and Panaceia and all the gods, and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will fulfil according to my ability and judgment this oath and this covenant:
To hold him who has taught me this art as equal to my parents and to live my life in partnership with him, and if he is in need of money to give him a share of mine, and to regard his offspring as equal to my brothers in male lineage and to teach them this art–if they desire to learn it–without fee and covenant; to give a share of precepts and oral instruction and all the other learning to my sons and to the sons of him who has instructed me and to pupils who have signed the covenant and have taken the oath according to medical law, but to no one else..."

Jenn

[ladymoreta]

Congratulations! It's such an exciting time!

That's great. He sounds so happy to be starting this journey, and it's awesome you're happy for him. The white coat ceremony is a pretty cool tradition.

It's also kind of fun when he actually starts wearing the thing. I picked my MS3 DH up from the hospital last Saturday night, and when I saw him standing on the curb in his little shorty white coat, so gosh darn good looking, I was really excited for him to be doing this. For a moment at least.

[Chrisada]

I still remember the feeling when they gave 6'4 DH that tiny little short-ass coat and his $300 stethoscope that was later stolen! It was a great moment! I know you are so proud right now!

[SuzySunshine]

Congrats to both of you - its a big step!

[scarlett09]

Congrats to you and your DH! It is such a great moment, full of the symbolism attached to the white coat. Enjoy it and help him to recall that moment in times where he's feeling a little down. Two years later during MS3, I took pictures of DF wearing that coat on the first day of his first rotation. That was another proud moment - that he was going to take his classroom knowledge and start to really practice what he had learned. That he was going to have real life interactions and experiences with patients on a daily basis, not just simulated patients or clinics once a week.

ITA w/ DCJenn - the other proud moment of med school was at the end when they recite the Hippocratic Oath - definitely a lot of pride at that moment, hearing them take on the full responsibilities of being a physician. Another proud moment is the academic symbolism of being hooded. DF's mom and I were crying hysterically during that entire process, even as the shortest dean on the stage tried to hood 6'4" DF, lol.

You will also like the first time he wears the LONG white coat just as much as you liked the first time he wore the short white coat.

[alison]

Yay! Big day for you and your dh!

[MarissaNicole]

Congrats it is a very big day! (I missed my husband's because we were 7 hours apart). The good news is there will be other exciting days, there will just be more "ugh" days... so make sure you celebrate each and every "yay" and "weeee" day!

I hope you got pictures!

[alison]

You will also like the first time he wears the LONG white coat just as much as you liked the first time he wore the short white coat.

Very true. And when your spouse is an attending and they actually STITCH the name into the coat, that's a big day, too!

[Pollyanna]

The long coat/short coat thing cracks me up. They get the long coats here from the beginning and they get the embroidery starting PGY1. Did anyone else start with a long coat?

[poky]

Cleveland Clinic starts with long coats (though they also get CWRU short coats, since they're technically Case students). They also had the option of getting their names embroidered in the first couple weeks; I think DH had them do one or two of the coats; they embroidered his name and "medical student".

[SuzySunshine]

The long coat/short coat thing cracks me up. They get the long coats here from the beginning and they get the embroidery starting PGY1. Did anyone else start with a long coat?

Stanford starts with long coats and the stitched name as well for med students. Are long coats standard in residency? They are here.

[oceanchild]

Those of you who love white coats, tell your spouses not to go into pediatrics - DH didn't even get a long coat.

Crystal, congrats! I hope med school is smooth sailing!